Game 3 Friday night is at 7:05. Game 4 would be at McCoy on Saturday night and Game 5 would be Sunday afternoon at the home of the PawSox — if necessary.

Buchholz took a shutout into the fourth before 4,553 fans — about 500 more than showed up for Game 1 — but left after allowing two runs on a double by Deibinson Romero and a single by Ray Olmedo.

The right-hander was making his third and final rehab tuneup before an expected start for Boston next Tuesday against Tampa Bay. He allowed the two runs on four hits in a 32/3-inning stint, with two walks and five strikeouts. Buchholz threw 71 pitches — 52 for strikes.

The PawSox took a 3-0 lead in the third inning. P.J. Walters walked Alex Hassan with the bases loaded and no outs to force in a run. After a visit from pitching coach Marty Mason, Walter induced cleanup hitter Mark Hamilton to hit into a 4-6-3 double play, scoring a run, and struck out Bryce Brentz to end the inning.

The fourth inning proved fatal for the Wings. It began with a fielding error from shortstop Eduardo Escobar, who couldn't handle a short-hop grounder from Jeremy Hazelbaker. A run scored on a sacrifice fly from Christian Vasquez, and Brock Holt's two-run single up the middle made it 5-0 and chased Walters.

Walters allowed five runs, but only two were earned. He walked three and struck out two.

The Wings answered with their two runs against Buchholz, but gave it back in the top of the fifth. A fielding error by Wings reliever Logan Darnell opened the inning, and the PawSox capitalized with two runs on a double from Bryce Brentz and single from Vasquez.

"That was really the turning point," Glynn said. "We got a couple of runs, and (a three-run deficit) isn't really that much. A couple of errors hurt us tonight."

The PawSox haven't dropped two straight since Aug. 6-9, when they dropped four in a row. They finished the season on a 19-4 run, blowing past the Red Wings to win the International League North.

"We've been a resilient team all year," PawSox manager Gary DiSarcina said. "I knew we'd have a good game tonight. Now, it's a best-of-three series, and we're home."

DiSarcina praised the Red Wings, who started the year 2-11 and needed to win their final three games of the season to squeeze into the playoffs as the wild card.

"They do all the little things," DiSarcina said. "They're a very good club."

Because Buchholz didn't pitch the five innings required to qualify for a win, it was up to the official scorer to award the victory. That honor went to Chris Martin, Pawtucket's fourth of six pitchers on the night. He retired all six batters he faced and struck out three.

The five pitchers who followed Buchholz tossed 51/3 shutout innings and allowed three hits and one walk.

Wings catcher Eric Fryer says Game 3 on Friday is the focus now.

"We've got to have that one," he said. "You can't win two before you win one."